Highly fluorinated elastomers

Abstract

Described herein is a peroxide curable, highly fluorinated elastomer derived from (a) a fluorinated di-iodo ether compound of the following formula I: Rf—CF(I)—(CX2)n—(CX2CXR)m—O—R″f-Ok—(CXR′CX2)p—(CX2)q—CF(I)—R′f wherein X is independently selected from F, H, and Cl; Rf and R′f are independently selected from F and a monovalent perfluoroalkane having 1-3 carbons; R is F, or a partially fluorinated or perfluorinated alkane comprising 1-3 carbons; R″f is a divalent fluoroalkylene having 1-5 carbons or a divalent fluorinated alkylene ether having 1-8 carbons and at least one ether linkage; k is 0 or 1; and n, m, and p are independently selected from an integer from 0-5, with the proviso that when k is 0, n+m is at least 1 and p+q is at least 1; and (b) a fluorinated monomer.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A composition comprising a highly fluorinated elastomer gum wherein the highly fluorinated elastomer gum is derived from
 (a) a fluorinated di-iodo ether compound of the following formula I:
   R f —CF(I)—(CX 2 ) n —(CX 2 CXR) m —O—R″ f —O k —(CXR′CX 2 ) p —(CX 2 ) q —CF(I)—R′ f  
 
 
 wherein
 X is independently selected from F, H, and Cl; 
 R f  and R′ f  are independently selected from F and a monovalent perfluoroalkane having 1-3 carbons; 
 R is F, or a partially fluorinated or perfluorinated alkane comprising 1-3 carbons; 
 R″ f  is a divalent fluoroalkylene having 1-5 carbons or a divalent fluorinated alkylene ether having 1-8 carbons and at least one ether linkage; 
 k is 0 or 1; and n, m, and p are independently selected from an integer from 0-5, with the proviso that when k is 0, n+m is at least 1 and p+q is at least 1; and 
 
 (b) a fluorinated monomer wherein the fluorinated monomer is selected from at least one of vinylidene fluoride, tetrafluoroethylene, hexafluoropropylene, a fluorinated allyl ether, a fluorinated vinyl ether, and combinations thereof. 
 
     
     
       2. The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the fluorinated di-iodo ether compound of formula I comprises less than 1% by weight hydrogen. 
     
     
       3. The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the fluorinated di-iodo ether compound is perfluorinated. 
     
     
       4. The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the highly fluorinated elastomer gum is derived from 0.1-1 wt % of the fluorinated di-iodo ether compound of formula I. 
     
     
       5. The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the fluorinated vinyl ether is selected from at least one of a perfluoro (methyl vinyl) ether (PMVE), perfluoro (ethyl vinyl) ether (PEVE), perfluoro (n-propyl vinyl) ether (PPVE-1), perfluoro-2-propoxypropylvinyl ether (PPVE-2), perfluoro-3-methoxy-n-propylvinyl ether, perfluoro-2-methoxy-ethylvinyl ether, and CF 3 —(CF 2 ) 2 —O—CF(CF 3 )—CF 2 —O—CF(CF 3 )—CF 2 —O—CF═CF 2 , and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       6. The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the fluorinated allyl ether is selected from at least one of a perfluoro (methyl allyl) ether, perfluoro (ethyl allyl) ether, perfluoro (n-propyl allyl) ether, perfluoro-2-propoxypropylallyl ether, perfluoro-3-methoxy-n-propylallyl ether, perfluoro-2-methoxy-ethylallyl ether, and CF 3 —(CF 2 ) 2 —O—CF(CF 3 )—CF 2 —O—CF(CF 3 )—CF 2 —O—CF 2 CF═CF 2  and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       7. The composition of  claim 1 , further comprising a non-fluorinated monomer. 
     
     
       8. The composition of  claim 7 , wherein the non-fluorinated monomer is ethylene, propylene, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
       9. The composition of  claim 1 , further comprising a cure site monomer, wherein the cure site monomer comprises at least one of (a) a Br, (b) a I, (c) a nitrile endgroup, and (d) two carbon-carbon double bonds. 
     
     
       10. A cured fluoroelastomer composition comprising the reaction product of a curing reaction of the composition according to  claim 1  and a peroxide cure system. 
     
     
       11. A shaped article comprising the cured highly fluorinated elastomer according  claim 10 . 
     
     
       12. The shaped article of  claim 11 , selected from at least one of a hose, a tube, and an O-ring. 
     
     
       13. The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the highly fluorinated elastomer gum is derived from at most 5% by weight of the fluorinated di-iodo ether compound relative to the total weight of monomers. 
     
     
       14. The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the highly fluorinated elastomer gum is derived from at most 3% by weight of the fluorinated di-iodo ether compound relative to the total weight of monomers. 
     
     
       15. The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the highly fluorinated elastomer gum is derived from at most 1% by weight of the fluorinated di-iodo ether compound relative to the total weight of monomers. 
     
     
       16. The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the highly fluorinated elastomer gum is derived from a free radical polymerization.